Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 20, 2025

Construction of Vapor Chambers Used to Expose Mice to Alcohol During the Equivalent of all Three Trimesters of Human Development
15:27

Construction of Vapor Chambers Used to Expose Mice to Alcohol During the Equivalent of all Three Trimesters of Human Development

Published on: July 13, 2014

14.6K

Impact of Developmental Alcohol Exposure on Sleep Physiology

Valentina Licheri1, Jonathan L Brigman2

  • 1Department of Neurosciences and New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Science Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA. vlicheri@salud.unm.edu.

Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
|March 25, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Developmental alcohol exposure significantly disrupts sleep in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). Understanding the molecular basis of these sleep disturbances is crucial for effective interventions.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Sleep Medicine
  • Developmental Pediatrics

Background:

  • Sleep disturbances are prevalent in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs).
  • Developmental alcohol exposure impacts brain development, affecting sleep physiology.
  • Sleep disruptions correlate with cognitive impairments in FASD patients.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To summarize clinical and preclinical findings on alcohol exposure and sleep.
  • To highlight the prevalence and types of sleep disturbances in FASD.
  • To identify gaps in understanding the mechanisms of alcohol-induced sleep issues.

Main Methods:

  • Review of clinical studies on sleep in FASD patients.
  • Summary of preclinical findings from animal models of FASDs.
  • Analysis of the correlation between sleep-wake disruptions and cognitive function.

Main Results:

  • High prevalence of sleep disturbances (e.g., fragmentation, anxiety, resistance) in FASD.
  • Confirmed link between prenatal alcohol exposure, brain alterations, and sleep problems.
  • Significant correlation between sleep-wake cycle disruption and cognitive deficits.

Conclusions:

  • Prenatal alcohol exposure leads to significant sleep disturbances in individuals with FASDs.
  • Molecular mechanisms underlying these sleep disturbances remain poorly understood.
  • Further research is needed to elucidate the physiological and molecular pathways involved.

Keywords:
FASDsNREMPrenatal alcohol exposureREMSleep disturbancesSleep physiology

More Related Videos

The Use of Trace Eyeblink Classical Conditioning to Assess Hippocampal Dysfunction in a Rat Model of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders19:57

The Use of Trace Eyeblink Classical Conditioning to Assess Hippocampal Dysfunction in a Rat Model of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

Published on: August 5, 2017

8.3K
Chronic Sleep Deprivation in Mouse Pups by Means of Gentle Handling03:46

Chronic Sleep Deprivation in Mouse Pups by Means of Gentle Handling

Published on: October 11, 2018

9.9K

Related Concept Videos

Insufficient Sleep and Sleep Deprivation01:13

Insufficient Sleep and Sleep Deprivation

Insufficient sleep refers to not getting the recommended amount of sleep for optimal functioning, even if it's just slightly less than needed. Sleep insufficiency may occur due to lifestyle choices, such as staying up late for social events or work, resulting in routinely getting less sleep than required. For example, consistently sleeping 6 hours when the body needs 7-9 hours can lead to cumulative effects on health and well-being.
Sleep deprivation is a more severe form of sleep loss...
122
Substance Use Disorders Affecting Sleep01:24

Substance Use Disorders Affecting Sleep

Substance use disorders involve a pattern of using drugs more extensively than intended and continuing use despite harmful consequences. This includes legal substances like alcohol and nicotine, as well as illegal drugs. These disorders often involve both physical and psychological dependence, reflecting compulsive use of substances that significantly alter thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, contributing to a major public health issue.
Understanding the concepts of physical dependence,...
152
Sleepwalking and Sleep Talking01:17

Sleepwalking and Sleep Talking

Somnambulism, commonly known as sleepwalking, involves individuals engaging in activities ranging from simple walking to more complex behaviors such as driving. Sleepwalking typically occurs during the slow-wave sleep stages 3 and 4 early in the night when the person is not dreaming, contradicting the myth that sleepwalkers are acting out their dreams.
Factors that increase the likelihood of sleepwalking include sleep deprivation and alcohol consumption. Contrary to common beliefs, it is safe...
108
CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine01:27

CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine

Ethanol, a clear colorless alcohol, has been consumed by humans for millennia, but its effects on the body are far from benign. At lower doses, it induces decreased inhibitions and loquaciousness, leading to its social appeal. However, it can cause severe consequences at higher doses, such as coma and respiratory depression, due to its zero-order elimination kinetics. Chronic ethanol abuse wreaks havoc on multiple organ systems, particularly the CNS and the liver. Abrupt cessation of ethanol...
164
Understanding Sleep01:11

Understanding Sleep

Sleep, an essential biological state, involves significant reductions in physical activity, sensory awareness, and interaction with the environment. This complex physiological process is primarily regulated by specific brain regions, notably the hypothalamus and pons, which govern the sleep-wake cycle or circadian rhythm.
The circadian rhythm, a nearly 24-hour cycle, is deeply influenced by environmental light cues. Light exposure directly affects the hypothalamus, which in turn regulates...
214
Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Miscellaneous Agents01:17

Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Miscellaneous Agents

Sedatives and hypnotics encompass a wide range of substances, each with its unique mechanism of action, uses, and potential adverse effects.
Melatonin congeners like ramelteon (Rozerem) and tasimelteon (Hetlioz) selectively bind to melatonin receptors (MT1 and MT2) and thus mimic the actions of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. Tasimelteon is primarily used for non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder, common in blind patients. They are also used to treat conditions like insomnia...
138